Just Sayin’
When Tragedy Strikes and the Ride Must Go On
This is advice I hope you never need to use: how to deliver a class when tragedy affects your community. But with what feels like an unending string of tragedies that can make delivering a properly-pitched class a challenge, it seems fitting to share tips from instructor Laura Iwan who had to deliver just such…
Read MoreWhat’s Awesome?
Besides being my tagline, awesome is something that you get to define. Everyday. Some days, especially during this past year, awesome can be getting out of bed. Taking your dog for a walk. Doing a workout you didn’t want to do or stopping at one glass of wine. The list of small things goes on.…
Read MoreYour Ride is Your Ride
“We read to know we’re not alone.” That’s one of my favorite quotes. The sentiment that when we know others are having similar experiences and feelings, we feel less alone, and perhaps a bit stronger and more hopeful. After listening to a TED Radio Hour segment called “Processing the Pandemic”, I decided to make a…
Read MoreAfter Your First Ride Back
What do you have planned for your riders beyond that highly anticipated, special first ride back? Have you thought about it? I have, even more than my “return ride”. I am working on creating an experience that will unfold over a three-month timeframe, peaking with a special theme ride. My riders vary in age, but…
Read MoreWindows
My life, I’ve realized, is like a bank of windows opened at various heights. This is not my preference. I’d like each window to be either fully opened, fully closed or decidedly in the middle. But that’s rarely, if ever, the case. Except for cycling class. After one of my classes last week, I asked…
Read MoreClarity 2020: Phone a Friend
I love the start of a new year. Everything about it (except staying up late on New Year’s Eve) aligns with my personality. I’m turned on by goal setting. I thrive on change and second chances. Completing financial spreadsheets to evaluate the year? Love it. But my favorite ritual is carving out quiet time to…
Read MoreIs the Instructor Talking to Me?
Hey Five Spokes riders – does this scene ring a bell? Your instructor looks out at the class and says, “Relax your shoulders and soften your elbows” and you automatically have one or more of the following thoughts: She/he isn’t talking to me. If I hear that one more time. I wonder who she/he is…
Read MoreOur Riders, Our Light
I know you can relate to this scenario: you’re tired and stressed from constantly hustling from one thing to the next and feeling on the verge of being overwhelmed by a too-long to-do list. Cycling class is two hours away and you haven’t had time to think about the profile. A list of questions fires…
Read MoreWhat if I’m Motivated by Different Music than My Riders?
Great instructors are passionate about music. They have an ear for what works and what doesn’t. They know how to create playlists that support their profiles, appeal to the class timeslot, and most importantly, motivates them. What? Shouldn’t I create playlists based on what my riders want? It’s a consideration for sure, but asking riders…
Read MoreTruth and Grace
Today someone shared this bit of wisdom with me during a discussion about the art of speaking the truth when giving feedback: You have to speak enough truth to be authentic and have enough grace to be kind; the balance between the two determines your effectiveness. Wow. Succinct, accurate, timely. Our conversation wasn’t related to…
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